We are home after a week in Spain. Friends have a vacation house in Marbella, and we had the place to ourselves: Relaxing hours spent by the pool, interesting hours spent walking in old Marbella, satisfying hours spent exploring different traditional tapas and paella restaurants as well as those that featured a more modern menu, delicious hours sampling new Spanish wines, exploring hours spent driving in the Andalusian mountains … the week went quickly and we didn’t dive into any deep historical exploration, but for a last-minute opportunity to go we felt we absorbed as much of the local cuisine, culture, and experience as we could.

It was wonderful.

Even with just a week’s visit, I have (of course … 😉 ) way too many photos and thoughts. To begin sharing a few of them, I decided to first focus on the autonomous community (Andalusia), Province (Málaga), and especially city (Marbella) in which we stayed.

Andalusia

– Located south in the Iberian peninsula and north of the Mediterranean Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar, the main mountain ranges are the Sierra Morena and the Baetic System, and the average temperature throughout the year is over 16 °C (61 °F)

– Rich culture and a strong cultural identity; many phenomena that are seen internationally as distinctively Spanish are largely or entirely Andalusian in origin: flamenco, bullfighting, and certain Moorish-influenced architectural styles

Marbella

– Part of the region of the Costa del Sol (Sun Coast) on the Mediterranean Sea in the foothills of the Sierra Blanca

– Has a significant archaeological heritage; some historians believe the first settlement on the present site of Marbella was founded by the Phoenicians in the 7th century BC, the Roman population center was in what is now the El Casco Antiguo (Old Town) area, the Caliphate of Córdoba fortified the coastline and built a string of several lighthouse towers along it, and somuchmore

– Between the old town and the Mediterranean is a garden with fountains and a collection of ten sculptures by Salvador Dalí

– Particularly noted for the presence of aristocrats, celebrities and wealthy people, it is a popular destination for luxury yachts (which Jan and I made a conscious decision to NOT go see)

I have specific “themed” photos for future posts, but thought I’d share a few random images from Marbella now — most are my own but, as with those above, a couple are from the Interwebs and I’ve credited their sources.

How about you — when you only have a brief time in a new area, do you try to absorb and experience as much as possible overall, or do you focus on one or two aspects of the trip to experience more fully?

Jan and I visited the Bergen Maritime Museum on July 12th. I wrote about the medieval and Viking boat section … and just after that I discovered a small display. Vågen: En komplisert kultur skatt (The Harbor: A complex cultural treasure) was a modest exhibit tucked against the windows, and it really grabbed my attention. Once home, my English searches didn’t turn up anything about it, so I asked my husband to help me find more information in Norwegian. He found two sources for me, one on the Norwegian-language section of the museum’s website, and one an extensive document detailing the underwater exploration of the Bergen Harbor.

A little background, paraphrased/translated from the Museum’s “Maritime archeology in the harbor” page (any incorrect information because of lousy translating is all on me!):

A comprehensive project from 2009 – 2010 organized by the Municipality of Bergen, the main goal of exploring was to acquire knowledge about the extent of cultural heritage in the Bergen harbor.

There were five different methods used that illuminated different aspects of the seabed:

– Acoustic surveys (Using soundwaves provided an overview. It didn’t tell what was on the bottom, but what should be investigated.)

– Filming (The camera-equipped ROV — remotely operated vehicle — filmed the seabed. This was an overview, showing areas with concentrations of discovery.)

– Sediment Columns (Drilled samples or sediment columns showed the thickness and layering of the seabed.)

– Diving (Findings on the seabed were described and evaluated by archaeologists.)

– Sample Quilting (Archaeologists dug pits on the seabed and documented what they found. This was the most time consuming and expensive method.)

On that webpage are three images. The top one shows the ROV heading into the harbor for filming of the seabed, with Haakon’s Hall and Rozenkrantz tower glowing and reflecting in a perfect compliment and contrast to the vehicle’s lights. The second image shows the computer monitors of the three cameras located on the ROV, and captures a moment when an old clay pipe is discovered. The third image shows the handles of a pot that was common cookware from the 1400’s.

Also on that webpage is a fifty second video of the remotely operated vehicle’s journey through the Harbor. The video shows the seabed, old shards of pottery, a modern beer can, and — at the very end — the top part of a grindstone. The video can’t be embedded in a separate website, but you can see it here.

If you’re interested in more, this is a 226 page document that takes a while to open but is full of fascinating info. It is of course written in Norwegian, but just scanning through the interesting photos, images, and maps tells a complete story of painstaking preliminary research and detailed analysis before any of the artifacts were disturbed.

Wooden artifacts, and bone and antler remnants, were part of the display.Once removed from the preserving conditions of the sediments,they are kept in water to avoid damage.These artifacts will be treated by professional conservators.

The shopping cart was interesting to see how its time underwater affected it … but it’s modern. I stood looking at the small wooden, bone, and metal artifacts (and the pottery that I didn’t take photos of) and thought about their history. Many have been dated to more than a thousand years ago.

I wonder: How did they end up in the harbor? Were they from the local environment, or did they get washed down from the mountains that surround Bergen — or from further north, making their way through the fjords and ocean currents?

Jan and I visited the Bergen Maritime Museum (Bergens Sjøfartsmuseum) a week ago — the first time for me, and something I’ve been wanting to do for quite a while now. It lived up to my expectations!

The entrance to the museum, located in the heart of the University of Bergen.

Quoting from their brochure: It is the aim of Bergen Maritime Museum to provide a survey of the development of our shipping expertise from ancient times right up to the present day.

Covering two floors, it’s fairly extensive and quite interesting! We spent a lot of time looking over several specific eras in history, and with this post I thought I’d share a few images and words about the oldest vessels from Norway.

Rock carvings and Logboats

From their website: Our very oldest Scandinavian vessels are known to us from pictorial sources i.e. rock carvings, and from finds of boats and parts of boats.

A recreation of a Bronze age rock carving from Skjeberg, in the southeastern part of Norway.

Quoting from the display: Logboats are vessels made of hollowed logs and have been used at all times world-wide in places like the Amazon, Nigeria and Scandinavia. In Nordic stone age, logboats were used as means of transportation and for fishing. The oldest proven logboat in Norway dates back to 200-100 B.C. … Logboats have been used in rivers and lakes in Norway as late as the 20th century.

The exhibited logboat was found in 1960 by the shallow lake Solsevaten … in Hardanger. The logboat is dated back to 1400 – 1430. It is flat-bottomed and probably made of a pine trunk. The boat may have been used in connection with fishing and mountain dairy.

Logboat from the early 1400’s.

The Kvalsund boat

Quoting from the display: In 1920 two boats were found in a bog in the northwestern part of Norway. The largest, which was 18 meters long, is exhibited in model here. There is no trace of mast or mast step, so the boat probably had no sail. The vessel is precursor to the Viking-ship.

Kvalsund boat, the precursor to the Viking ships.

Boathouse reconstruction

Quoting from the display: Reconstruction of the boathouse from ca. 500 A.D. on the basis of excavation at Stord shipyard property in winter 1956 … The ship is a replica of the Kvalsund boat.

A boathouse reconstruction, with a replica of the Kvalsund boat.

The Oseberg Ship

Quoting from the display: The Oseberg ship was found in a large burial mound at the Slagen farm in Vestfold and excavated in 1904. The ship was built around 815 – 820 A.D. and had been used as a sailing vessel for many years before it was put to use as a burial ship for a prominent woman who died in 834. The woman was placed in a burial chamber in the aft section of the ship. Next to lay the body of another woman, possibly a servant, as well as her most valuable possessions.

The ship, built of oak, was 22 meters long and 5 meters wide. The 12 strakes were secured with iron nails. The ship was designed for both rowing and sailing. With a square sail of about 90 sq. meters it could reach speeds of over 10 knots. The top strake had 15 oar holes. A full set of oars was included in the grave furnishings. The crew probably sat on their ship’s chests. The Oseberg ship was in all probably intended to be used as a royal pleasure vessel for sailing along the coast. Both the prow and stern of the vessel are finely carved in the characteristic “Animal style”.

A model of the Oseberg Viking Ship; the original is in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. Visit their website to find out the intricate and complicated path of discovery, excavation, and restoration of this unique piece of history.

Keel from a Viking ship

The keel from a Viking ship, found at Bremanger in Sogn og Fjord, Norway, is stretched out under the display case. It’s a unique piece and an interesting glimpse into the heart of a powerful ship.

The keel from a Viking ship.

Anchor

An amazing find — an anchor from ca. 800 A.D, found in Nordland, Norway. Can you image what it took for builders of that time to envision and create this?

An anchor from the beginning of the 9th century.

Mast

The central mast support from a Viking ship; with primitive tools (to our 21st Century eyes), the mast was wedged firmly in place. I stood there and imagined the force of the wind, waves, and water … and it all held together.

The central mast support from a Viking ship.

Frame timber reconstruction

Reconstructed frame timber section of a Nordic medieval ship, with an original 4.5 meter long deck-beam. The beam was excavated at Bryggen in Bergen.

Reconstruction of a part of a Nordic medieval ship.

I found this map showing the locations of the major Viking ship finds interesting … and the graphic of Norway’s explorations by ship fascinating!

I’ve enjoyed wandering through museums all over the world, but this is the first time I’ve been to a ship museum. Because of my joy in discovering aspects of history I’ve previously overlooked, plus living in an area where water dominates all aspects of life … well, this part of the Bergen Maritime Museum was an intriguing glimpse for me into the very beginnings of the ancient Norwegian’s adapting to their world. Over the next few weeks I’ll share other aspects of our time at the museum.

As you could see from my photos in yesterday’s post, Sandviken is located near the water. The early buildings were mostly water mills and shipyards, and later traders from Bergen built landing places and warehouses in the area.

A few facts from my husband:

It has a long and complicated history, but here’s an overview:

– From the early Middle ages, Sandviken was the main location for milling (grounding grain into flour). Even today there is a huge mill there.

– Besides the boatbuilding (shipyards) and rope-making (the long “Reperbahn” building for making and storing the rope is still there), its main business was as a so called “Stapelhavn” mainly for the dried fish from the north. Sandviken was located a long way from the city center at that time in history; the business was located there probably because of the very pungent smell from the fish. It clings to anybody who works with it.

– “Stapelhavn” means a harbor for changing goods between the different traders. In its history, ships brought fish from the North, spices from the West Indian company, etc. The goods were transferred and distributed, mainly in Europe, but also on a world wide basis.

– The area was privately owned until it was sold to the Bergen commune in 1876. As a far northern suburb of Bergen, it was accessible from Bergen only by boat or over the narrow, high path over Ladegården. A wider road was established in the late 1800’s.

– As the business and activities grew, people started building houses: Small ones for the workers and grander ones for the rich merchants. Most of those houses are still there.

A few personal observations:

– My family owned a number of houses in Sandviken for several hundred years, building ships for trading in the European Hansa League and buying dried fish from the northern parts of Norway.

– My great, great grandfather was First Mate on a Danish ship until he fell down from the rig and crushed both his knees.

As you can imagine, it was long hours, hard work, and a difficult life. Of course the workers needed a release … which brings me to today’s post. While Grandson and I were enjoying our walk (that is, while he snoozed and I gaped at him and my surroundings), I took some time at the Madam Felle statue.

(An additional photo of the base can be found here; as the photographer Bård Skåden writes, “At the bottom of the statue it shows how they believe it was.”)

A bit of more history from my knowledgeable Bergenske husband, this time about Madam Felle:

Her name was Oline Felle, born in Breim, Gloppen (Nordfjord) in 1831, and died in Bergen on January 9, 1908. Her bar/pub and guesthouse was a family business, and she was the daughter-in-law of the first Madam Felle, Randine Felle. Randine was born in Voss (west of Bergen) in 1790 and her father bought the house and received a pub licence in 1796. Randine served beer for 60 years until she died in 1867. Oline continued until she passed away in 1908.

Her clientel were locals, but also all the workers from the shipyards, the men sorting the dried fish from the north, the rope-makers … it was extremely hard, labor-intensive work.

Her fame is very much caused by the song about her. Written by an “unknown,” it is a very simple two-verse Bergen “street-song” that most people from Bergen know.

Here are the lyrics in the local “Bergensk” dialect to this street song, and a rough English translation courtesy of my husband (but of course a lot of the humor is lost in the translation):

Do you know madam Felle
– the old mother of Jonnemann?
She had beer to sell:
out in Sandviken she lives.Now she is dead long gone
the old mother of Jonnemann,
she had beer to sell
out in Sandviken she lives.

I’ll be visiting Sandviken again — both in person of course, and also on this blog. But in the meantime, I’ll leave you with the song, sung by Lothar Lindtner and Rolf Berntzen on their 1977 album:

This week’s “Flashback Friday” isn’t expat related. It’s America’s Independence Day! So I thought I’d celebrate with re-visiting a post that has two photos from a 1988 trip to Philadelphia of The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall (with my young daughters and their Dad featured prominently, of course!)

But first, a short quote and a current photo: today, as “on every Fourth of July, at 2pm Eastern time, children who are descendants of Declaration signers symbolically tap the Liberty Bell 13 times while bells across the nation also ring 13 times in honor of the patriots from the original 13 states” (from the Independence Hall Association — please visit that link to read more of my country’s history).

July 4, 2014
Happy Birthday, America!
Your flag is flying proudly over the fjord and Lysøen here in Lysekloster

Philadelphia
April 2, 2013

A 1988 trip to Philadelphia when the girls were small, visiting the tourist areas and feeling a part of U.S. history.

Continuing my personalexploration of artists who painted similar perspectives compared to those seen through my camera lens, I thought I’d share different views of Bergen Harbor.

Visiting it in person always leaves me in awe. Exploring its history humbles me. The changes have been dramatic over the centuries, and I feel a part of that history with every trip into Bergen — even if we’re just driving through.

I am acquainted with this city in the 21st century. But as I explored the Internet, searching for paintings, I found myself drawn to the ones depicting the area from about mid-1500 to mid-1800.

The painting I decided to feature is from the early 1800s, and most closely resembles the perspective of a photo I took from Nordnes, across the harbor from the area most easily recognizable as Bergen.

The painting is a perspective from the fjord just outside the mouth of the harbor; you can see Rosenkrantz Tower and other buildings of the Bergenhus Fortress, the familiar silhouettes of Bryggen, Bergen Cathedral‘s (Domkirken) towers rising in the distance … and of course, Fløyen and Ulriken provide the steady and permanent backdrop, their painted contours adjusted for the different viewpoint. Aside from the obvious changes to the harbor over the years, there is one major difference between the painting and my photo … that Danish flag! Shown in this 1801 painting, it wasn’t there for very much longer, as the changes of 1814 were just around the corner.

(Here is where I was standing when I took my photograph; the perspective of the painting is out in the fjord to the left.)

I found many other paintings in my Internet wanderings that I think are so interesting: artists’ interpretations of Bergen’s tiny population’s growth in a strategic, protected harbor towards the city it is today. I decided that these paintings (and, if I could find them, artist credit) deserve a spot in this post also.

Bergen ca. 1790 Boydell’s picturesque scenery of Norway published in London in 1820 Original drawings made on the spot, and engraved by John William Edy: with remarks and observations made in a tour through the country, and revised and corrected by William Tooke Source

Have you researched the area of the world in which you live? What painters — famous or unknown — have captured the essence of your area through their paintings?

(Tusen, tusen takk to my wonderful husband for his research help in trying to track down the identity of a few of the artists of some of these paintings! He thinks the uncredited artists are probably Dutch; if you recognize an artist, please let us know!)

A couple of months ago I shared memories and photos of a trip to Haugesund to attend the wedding of friends. The wedding was held in the historic St. Olav’s Church of Avaldsnes. From Wikipedia:
This church has been a landmark for seafarers passing through the strait of Karmsund for 750 years. King Håkon IV Håkonsson gave permission to build a church around the year 1250. It was not completed until nearly 1320, and was then the fourth largest in the country. The church was dedicated to St. Olav … Remaining walls were visible as late as 1840, but are now completely gone.

The history of the church depicts a fine cross-section of Norway’s history. Being one of the largest churches along the coast of Norway, it is certain to have been visited by many travelers on their pilgrimage to St. Olav’s shrine in Trondheim.

(If you’re interested in deep history, this link goes into detail about the archaeology and excavation near the church. Several ships’ burial mounds and other discoveries, as well as a replica of Viking Age farm, are part of the Nordevegan History Centre.)

In exploring Norwegian painters and places I’ve photographed, I came across a painting of the church by Johan Christian Dahl. A little about this important Norwegian painter:
Johan Christian Claussen Dahl (February 24, 1788 – October 14, 1857), often known as J. C. Dahl or I. C. Dahl, was a Norwegian artist who is considered the first great romantic painter in Norway, the founder of the “golden age” of Norwegian painting, and one of the great European artists of all time. He is often described as “the father of Norwegian landscape painting” and is regarded as the first Norwegian Painter ever to reach a level of artistic accomplishment comparable to that attained by the greatest European artists of his day. He was also the first acquire genuine fame and cultural renown abroad. As one critic has put it, “J.C. Dahl occupies a central position in Norwegian artistic life of the first half of the 19th century.

Although Dahl spent much of his life outside of Norway, his love for his country is clear in the motifs he chose for his paintings and in his extraordinary efforts on behalf of Norwegian culture generally. Indeed, if one sets aside his own monumental artistic creations, his other activities on behalf of art, history, and culture would still have guaranteed him a place at the very heart of the artistic and cultural history of Norway. He was, for example, a key figure in the founding of the Norwegian National Gallery and of several other major art institutions in Norway, as well as in the preservation of Norwegian stave churches and the restoration of the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim and Håkonshallen in Bergen.

My photographic perspective of the church isn’t the same as Dahl’s, especially as many of the walls in his 1820 painting are no longer there. But you can capture the essence of this historic medieval church, can’t you?

Today is Norway’s Constitution day. It’s always a big day for celebration, but this year it’s the 200th anniversary of the signing of their Constitution in Eidsvoll, so it’s even more celebratory. A little historical background:

From the Parliament’s website:The Norwegian Constitution of 17th May 1814 occupies a special place in Norwegian history. Not only did it lay the foundations for democratic development, it was also instrumental in providing Norway with status as an independent country.

From Norway.org:The event that spurred the writing of the Norwegian Constitution was the Treaty of Kiel, dated January 14th 1814. Norway was at the time subjugated by Denmark, but was to be given to Sweden because of the outcome of the Napoleonic Wars. Hearing of the treaty, the Norwegian Constituent Assembly gathered at Eidsvoll and wrote the constitution, signing it on May 17th – our independence day.

Sweden intervened and took control of Norway by force, but the constitution was embraced as a national symbol of freedom. The Swedish king was denied the right of veto over Norwegian affairs, and never got the authority he wanted; it culminated in Norwegian independence in 1905.

The bicentenary is an opportunity to shed light on:

– Norway’s historical and international role in the development of democracy and law.

– Issues concerning human rights, freedom of speech, gender and equality. The Norwegian Constitution was groundbreaking in these respects, and in spite of several revisions, the original document is still largely in use today.

– Smaller nations’ right to independence with respect to the influence of major countries whose decisions and actions have ramifications far beyond their own borders. The constitution was a symbol of independence from Norway’s neighboring countries.

From Norway Post:The committee at Eidsvoll ensured that the focus was on the individual and his/her own rights in the constitution that was written in 1814. They looked to the U.S. and France for inspiration, which also meant a revolutionary new look on the citizens’ role in society, human rights and division of power.

Today, Norway’s constitution is the world’s second oldest acting constitution. Only the U.S. constitution is older and still in effect. That alone says a lot about the men at Eidsvoll’s capability to look ahead of their own time.

Those quotes are factual (and just my chosen highlights; please visit the pages linked for the complete story!), but you can read between the lines to understand the human aspect behind the words. A huge country, with pockets of people living in remote areas found near the frozen northlands or at the end of a fjord deep in the mountains; no cars or roads, airplanes or airports, or motorized boats of any size; weeks of difficult travel to be a part of the gathering at Eidsvoll. Many who knew of that gathering and wanted an input couldn’t reach it in time. But yet, a Constitution was drafted and signed with the interests of all a country’s people as the main focal point. Inspiring!